A concern to avoid the trial judge's balancing direction on good character (that people of good character have been known to commit crimes) is not a legitimate forensic reason not to adduce available character evidence. However, the absence of character evidence will not occasion a miscarriage of justice where the existing evidence at trial (including evidence from other witnesses as to the accused's good character and the trial judge's direction on good character) adequately placed the issue before the jury, and the proposed additional character evidence would have been of limited weight regarding the accused's behaviour in a private or domestic setting.
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